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Oprah Winfrey Helps Open Dick Clark Studios, Allen Gerry Center at SU's Newhouse School

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey was greeted with cheers and a standing ovation today as she addressed a crowd of faculty, students and alumni at Syracuse University. Winfrey attended a luncheon and cut the ribbon for the opening of the new Dick Clark Studios and the Alan Gerry Center for Media Innovationat the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. During her remarks, Winfrey wanted the students to know how fortunate they are to be at Newhouse

“You are so lucky. You are so lucky. Do you even know how lucky you are? Okay, I’m gonna tell you how lucky you are. My definition of luck is this: preparation meeting the moment of opportunity. There is no luck, unless you’re prepared.”

Winfrey went onto describe her beginnings in broadcasting, which were a far cry from the sophisticated training that Newhouse students receive today.

“I didn’t have the facilities that you have. I didn’t have the production room. I didn’t have the Chris Licht control room. I didn’t have behind the scenes training or in front of the camera training. I was just sort of winging it with my Bell and Howell.”

Dean of the Newhouse School Lorraine Branham further reinforced Winfrey’s comments. She explained the School’s long legacy of excellence, and how the new facilities marry the traditional with the progressive

Credit Chris Bolt/WAER News
More than 500 people watched the ribbon cutting

  “The Newhouse studio with its innovation center will be a place where all Newhouse students can learn, collaborate, invent and explore together. And where they can work with the tools and in the settings that will truly prepare them for what they will find when they enter the professional world.”

Following the luncheon, students, faculty, staff and Central New Yorkers packed the streets around Newhouse just to get a glimpse of Oprah Winfrey as she cut the ceremonial ribbon. Once officially opened, the community was invited to tour the new studios.

Chris Bolt, Ed.D. has proudly been covering the Central New York community and mentoring students for more than 30 years. His career in public media started as a student volunteer, then as a reporter/producer. He has been the news director for WAER since 1995. Dedicated to keeping local news coverage alive, Chris also has a passion for education, having trained, mentored and provided a platform for growth to more than a thousand students. Career highlights include having work appear on NPR, CBS, ABC and other news networks, winning numerous local and state journalism awards.